British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing one of the most serious crises of his premiership after a flurry of resignations, renewed criticism over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington and growing unrest within the ruling Labor party ahead of a critical meeting of members of parliament on Monday evening.
On Monday, Scottish Labor leader Anas Sarwar became the most senior party figure to call for Starmer’s resignation. He said “the distraction must end and leadership in Downing Street must change,” according to the Associated Press. His intervention puts new pressure on the prime minister.
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Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s chief of staff and one of the most influential figures within Downing Street, resigned on Sunday after acknowledging his role in recommending Mandelson for the diplomatic post. In a resignation statement published by The Guardian, McSweeney said the decision was “wrong” and that he accepted responsibility, calling his departure the “only honorable course.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, talks with British Ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson during a welcome reception at the ambassador’s residence in Washington, February 26, 2025. (Carl Court/Pool photo via AP)
The pressure increased hours later when Tim Allan, the prime minister’s communications director, also resigned. according to GB News. Allan, a veteran New Labor strategist, became the second senior aide to leave as the political fallout deepened.
“Prime Minister Starmer is coming under increasing political pressure to resign here in London in the wake of the scandal surrounding Lord Mandelson – his appointed ambassador to the United States – and his connection to Jeffrey Epstein. He has lost two close aides and is under fire for his foreign policy in China. The Chagos Deal is under scrutiny and his trip to Beijing was largely seen as without real results,” Hemmings said.
Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, added: “It is extraordinary to be in a situation where a Prime Minister who won a landslide election victory just 20 months ago is now on the verge of being forced to resign. We are here as a result of a series of policy U-turns and bad judgment calls that culminated in the Lord Mandelson debacle. His fate now ultimately rests tonight in the hands of the Parliamentary Labor Party. If he feels he no longer has their confidence, then there is every chance that This will be the end of Keir Starmer.”
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Peter Mandelson speaks during a welcome reception for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Ambassador’s Residence on February 26, 2025 in Washington, DC (Carl Court/Pool via Reuters)
Starmer has tried to limit the damage and says he regrets the appointment. In comments reported by GB News on Monday, the Prime Minister said: “I have been absolutely clear that I regret the decision I made to appoint Peter Mandelson. And I have apologized to the victims, which is the right thing to do.” He added that these types of scandals threaten to undermine public trust in politics.
The Prime Minister now faces a showdown with Labor lawmakers, with backbench MPs expected to challenge his leadership at a party meeting on Monday evening UK time. A senior Labor MP told GB News the “clock is ticking” and called for decisive action to “clean up politics”.
Downing Street has insisted Starmer will not resign despite the double departures. A spokesperson told journalists that the Prime Minister is “continuing to do his job and drive change across the country”, and that he remains “optimal and confident” and retains the support of the Cabinet.
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Peter Mandelson sits with Jeffrey Epstein as he blows out the candles on a cake, in an undated photo released by the US Department of Justice on December 19, 2025, as part of a trove of documents from the Epstein investigation. (U.S. Department of Justice/Handout via Reuters)
However, the political damage extends beyond the personnel problems. Mandelson was withdrawn from the role of ambassador after additional details emerged about his relationship with Epstein, and he resigned from the Labor Party earlier this month, leaving Starmer facing what experts described as the most acute test of his leadership since taking office.
